Switch for overhead trolley-tracks



(No Model.)

0 G SCHMIDT SWITGH-FOR OVERHEAD TROLLEY TRAGKS.

' JEYVEH/ET' 1%/ m wz tls "f ATENT OFFICE.

` v CHARLES e. SCHMIDT,

OF GINCINNATI, )HIO.

SPEGIFICATION forrnng part of Letters Patent No, 519,351, dated May 8, 1894.

Applivati nfil lfoveniber'7,1893. Serial No. 490.313. on model.) f

To all 71/77/0772/ 't may concern:

le it known that I, CHARLES G. SoHMID'r, a ctzen of the United States, and a resident of Onoinnati, Hamilton county, State of Ohio, have nvented a certain new and useful Switch for Overhead Trolley-Tracks; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, attention being called to the accompanying drawings, wth the reference-numerals marked thereon, which form part of this specification.

Ths invention relates to improvements in swtches for overhead carrier-tracks for trolleys, such as are used in slaughterand packng-houses, cooling-rooms, ware-rooms, and factories, for the purpose of moving sides of beef, or other Objects, quickly and convenently from one place to another. The obects so moved are generally supported on hooks depending from rollers or trolleys which move npon the tracks. The latter are supported on brackets which depend from the celing. Switches in such track-systems are requred to enable the convenient distribution of the Objects, the meats for instance, nto the different compartments of the cooling-rooms, the ann'exes of main-buildings, &c.

The object of my invention is to devise a simple and cheap construction for such a switch which may be readily and qnickly adjusted from below without the aid of complicated appliances andhas as additional features a hanger of novel construction and a guard for one track while open, and the switch is in alignment with the other.

To this end my invention consists of a construction whereby these object-s are aocomplished and which is described and pointed out in the following specification and claims, together with its operation, parts, and construction, the latter being also illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in whichr Figure 1, is a perspective view of a part of such a track-system, showing it at a point where one track divides into two diverging branches and is provided with a switch thereat to connect it with either one of the branches. Fig.2, is a` side-elevation of the switch, showing it in one of the positions which it assumes during its adj ustment.

Fig. 3, is an end-view of the two branchtracks. Fig. 4, is a perspective view of one of the hangers which supports one end of one of the branch-tracks and is also provided with a receiving Socket for the swinging end of the switch. Fig. 5, is a horizontal section and top-view of the lower part of the corresponding hanger for the end of the other branch track.

8, is the one track, and 9, and 10, are the branches into which it divides.

11, is the switch,pivotally connected to the end of the first track and capable of being brought into alignment with the ends of either of the other tracks as crcumstances may require it. v

12, and 13, are the hangers which support the ends of the two branch-tracks and also contain the receiving-sockets 14, for the swinging switch-end. At their upper ends these hangers are provided with flanges 15, by which they are securedto the ceiling. The stationary end of the switch has a downwardly projecting pin 16, which takes into a socket17,

a provided with a flange by which it is Secured :to the end of the single track. The switch,

When to be adjusted, is first lifted vertically as shown in Fig. 2, to clear the Socket, after which it is swung to the other track and dropped again, coming to a rest in the other socket. To permit the switch to go through this double motion, that is the Vertical movement of it, the hole in soeket 17, is oval as best observable in Fig. 1, so as to give pin 16, the required play, (see Fig.` 2.) At the same time the end of the switch which adjoins a track 8, or the end of the latter is cut away slantingly as shown at 18, Figs. l and 2, to provide the necessary clearance and prevent it t from binding against the track-end. For the purpose of its operation the switch is provided with a'bracket 19, which projects lat- 'erally therefrom and carries a sliding handle 20, which for use is slid close up against the switch and into a notch 21, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3 while after use it is moved out again to the end as shown, to be out of the way.

This latter positionis to be considered its normal one where it is always close to the switch and may be 'readily found, especially by the rooms. Its position also'indicates the posi- ICQ -insufiicient illumination in dark coolingi tion of the switch above which is quite an advantage where ceilings are high and the light is poor and by its loose connection it swings readily out of the way when accidentally struck and obviates the consequences of such collisions. Where tracks are sufficiently low to permit the hand to reach up, the sliding handle may be omitted and the bracket itself used to operate the switch directly, in which case the end of the bracket is bent downwardly and formed into a handle as indicated by dottedlines in Fig. 3.

Toprevent the switch while being swung, from missing either one of the receiving-sockets, the finding of the exact position of which would otherwise be a laborious task, one side of these sockets is carried up higher as shown at 22, which thereby forms a limit to the horizontal Swing of the switch and indicates, when being struck by the latter, that the proper position has been found and that the switch is ready to be dropped. The latter is prevented from being lifted so high as to miss these stops, by its end 18, which binds against the end of track S, and limits the lift to the proper extent.

It is desirable that the end of the track which is left open, is protected to prevent a trolley from running off in case the position of the switch is not timely enough observed.

v This is accomplished by a guard 23, which lies over the track immediately in front of the hanger, so that in case a trolley runs against it, (see Fig. 2,) the hanger will assist the guard to resist the shock. This guard is supported by a hinge 24, and provided with a heel 25, which reaches preferably through a slot 26, into the receiving socket for the switch, so as to be in the path of the latter to enable it to operate the guard automatically. When the switch drops into a position as shown in Fig. 1, it will force the heel outwardly when coming in contact with its inclined end, causing also guard 23, to swing outwardly and thereby opening the track. When the switch is lifted out to be aligned with the other track, the heel is permitted to pass once more into the position it occupied within socket 14, and being pushed into it by the guard when im pelled by its weight it drops again over the track, the open end of which becomes thereby closed. In the drawings such a guard is only shown in connection with track 10. The open end of track 9, may be protected by bracket 19, which extends out laterally from the switch and is slaped accordingly as shown in Figs. 1, and 3. Otherwise, especially where this bracket, 19, is

onitted, a similar guard 23, may be connected to hanger 12, the lower part of which is then provided with a slot 26, in a corresponding position.

The advantages of this construction are the absence of any conplicated mechansn to lock the switch in position and means to operate it from below, all of which smplfies its manufacture, facilitates its erection and reduces its cost.

Having described my invention, I clain as new- 1. In a switch for overhead trolley-tracks, the combination of the single track 8, the switch hinged thereto, a bracket 19, extending out laterally from the latter, an operating handle thereon, whereby the switch is operated, the branch tracks 9, 10, and supports at their ends' into which the swinging switchend drops.

2. In a switch for over-head trolley tracks, the combination of the single track 8, the switch hinged thereto, having its end adgoning track 8, cut away slantingly, a bracket 19, rigidly secured to the latter and extending out laterally therefrom, a handle loosely supported on the bracket, whereby the switch is operated, the branch-tracks 9, and 10, and the hangers with the U shaped receivng sockets at their ends, which support the swinging end of the switch, as well as the track-ends.

3. In a switch for over-head trolley-tracks, the combination of the single track 8, the switch hinged thereto, the branch-tracks 9, 10, the hangers to support their ends, having the receivin g sockets 14, into which the swinging switch-end drops and a guard 23, to close the open track-end hinged to the switch-support and provided with the heel 25, which reaches within the path of the switch-end, whereby this latter is enabled to diplace it, to hold the track open and permits, when released, the guard by gravitation, to close the track again.

4. In a switch for over-head trolley-tracks, the combination of the single track 8, the switch hinged thereto, the branch-tracks 9, and 10, the hangers to support their ends, having the receiving sockets 14, into which the swinging switch-end drops and abracket 19, extending out laterally from the switch toserve as a support for a handle whereby to operate the switch and bent upwardly as shown, to serve when opposite it, as a guard for one of the branch tracks when open;

In testimony whereof I affix my si gnature in presence of two witnesses.

Ol-IARLES G. SOHMIDT.

Witnesses:

G. SPENGEL, WM. KRAMER.

IOO 

